BBC Documentaries

Guest contributor Zanyhorse takes a look at the radio series 25/30 Years of Rock. This first part examines 1955 to 1959

25 Years of Rock was originally broadcast on Radio 1 in 1980, and was a twenty-five part series looking at the music and news events of each year from 1955 to 1979. In 1985 the series was repeated as 30 Years of Rock which comprised the original twenty-five programmes plus an additional five programmes looking at the years from 1980 to 1984.

The series has recently been repeated on BBC Radio 6.

If you listen to the series now it helps if you bear in mind when it was first broadcast. In 1980 rock n roll was just over twenty-five years old, it was less than twenty years since the first Beatles’ record and ten years since the Beatles split, it was less than five years since the punk explosion. When 25 Years of Rock was first broadcast Bill Haley and John Lennon were still alive. The last programme in the series was more or less up to date with the current pop scene.

With each programme I have provided a playlist plus some additional comments.

1955

Introduction:

Rock Around the Clock – Billy Haley and the Comets

Anthony Eden on the Suez Crisis

Hound Dog – Elvis Presley

Interview with Elvis Presley

Hail Hail Rock n Roll – Chuck Berry

Bye Bye Love – the Everley Brothers

John F Kennedy on the Cuban Missile Crisis

The Times They Are a Changing – Bob Dylan

President Kennedy assassinated

She Loves You – The Beatles

Interview with the Beatles after receiving MBEs

I Can’t Get No Satisfaction – the Rolling Stones

My Generation – the Who

Vietnam War

San Francisco – Scott McKenzie

Country Joe McDonald at Woodstock

I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die – Country Joe and the Fish

President Nixon announces troops to return from Vietnam

Space Oddity – David Bowie

Neil Armstrong lands on the Moon Edward Heath announces three day week

(When the first edition of 25 Years of Rock was repeated as 30 Years of Rock the introduction was extended to include: Ronald Reagan’s inauguration Fame – Irene Cara Interview with John Lennon. John Lennon assassinated. Just Like Starting Over – John Lennon Wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana Romeo and Juliet – Dire Straits The Falklands War Two Tribes – Franke Goes to Hollywood)

Rock n roll started before 1955 and Rock Around the Clock wasn’t the first rock n roll record, but it was the first rock n roll record to be a major hit, so it was chosen as the starting point. Some music in this programme is the type of music that was the forerunner of rock n roll. But we also have the real thing from Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Richard, and somebody called Elvis Presley.

The news events put the music into some sort of context. When Bill Haley recorded Rock Around the Clock Winston Churchill was still prime minister. When this programme was first broadcast in 1980 the Burgess/Mclean/Philby story would have rung a bell with some listeners who didn’t remember the events of 1955, because a year earlier Anthony Blunt was exposed as the fourth man in the spy ring. And this isn’t the last we’ll be hearing about Vietnam.

President Eisenhower on being re-elected, Anthony Eden takes holiday in Jamaica

Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley

1956 was the breakthrough year for rock n roll, and the breakthrough year for Elvis Presley, already called the King of Rock n Roll. Britain got in on the act with Tommy Steele and Lonnie Donegan. In Britain there were the teddy boys. It’s amazing how they dug up that clip from the panel show Any Questions.

The main news story of the year was the Suez Crisis. The other big event was also the Soviet invasion of Hungary. I’m surprised that the sports roundup didn’t mention the Olympic Games.

Sunderland Football Club officials suspended for making illegal payments to players. Interview with Jimmy Hill. Juan Fangio wins German Grand Prix

Reete Petite – Jackie Wilson

Americans work on their first space satellite. Russians launch Sputnik.

Great Balls of Fire – Jerry Lee Lewis

Laika the dog sent into space on Sputnik II

Wake Up Little Susie – the Everley Brothers

Rock n roll was going from strength to strength. New acts included Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the Everley Brothers who appear to be favourites of the series producer. The BBC launched Six Five Special, their first rock music programme.

People complained about inflation during the seventies, but it was nothing new. But the biggest news story of 1957 was the launch of Sputnik I. It’s clever how they use some of the records to fit in with the events, for example Great Balls of Fire being played after the Sputnik story.

Twenty-five Years of Rock was a bit like a serial with some of the ongoing stories such as the development of space flight, the comings and goings of the prime ministers and presidents, and the careers of some of the more famous rock acts like Elvis Presley.

1958

Rave On – Buddy Holly

Juno I rocket launches Explorer I satellite from Cape Canaveral

You Send Me – Sam Cooke

Members of Manchester United killed and injured in plane crash in Munich

Rumble – Link Wray

Bolton Wanderers beat Manchester United in FA Cup Final. Rise in crime figures following temporary suspension of death penalty. Interview with Fabian of the Yard.

Worst unemployment figures in UK since records began.Teenagers spend more money on clothes and records

High School Confidential – Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis UK tour cancelled after revelation that he has married his thirteen year old cousin

Good Golly Miss Molly – Little Richard

In 1958 Elvis Presley put his career on hold when he joined the army, but he predicted that rock n roll would still be around for a long time. The two most notable new rock n roll personalities were Cliff Richard and Phil Spector, the latter the writer and producer of the Teddy Bears’ first hit.

I think this is the first edition of Twenty-five Years of Rock to feature a novelty record, Gerry Granahan’s ode to the sack dress. It’s also the first to feature a speech by Richard Nixon.

It was around this time that teenagers came into their own. Lady Lewisham later became better known as the step mother of Princess Diana.

Down By the Riverside – Alexis Korner, Bill Colyer, Dick Smith, John Bastable and Ken Colyer

Government announces abolition of national service

Teenager in Love – Dion and the Belmonts

1959 saw the first major tragedy in the history of rock n roll when Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens died in a plane crash. And there’s a rare chance to hear the tribute record Three Stars.

Vice President Richard Nixon was making a name for himself. This is the first programme in the series where we hear the Queen.

There was definitely a folk music scene in Britain in 1959. And Britain was heading towards a new era with the CND movement, the new motorways, the modernisation of the railways, and the imminent abolition of national service.

According to the entry for this programme in Radio Times Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, Bobby Darin and Neil Sedaka were producing “a mellower style of pop”. And Elvis Presley joining the army, the Jerry Lee Lewis scandal, the payola scandal, and the death of Buddy Holly all contributed to the decline of the first wave of rock n roll.